1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a symbol display device for a game machine, more especially, to a symbol display device including reel units of double reel type.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
In a slot machine or a pachinko machine, a symbol display device is provided. The symbol display device includes plural, for example, three reels. On a periphery of each reels of the reel unit, different symbols are arranged. When a game starts, the three reels begin to rotate simultaneously. When the three reels stops rotating, the winning or the losing of the game is determined, based on the three symbol combinations. In the slot machine having of the symbol display device a three-reels type, three symbols are displayed on each of the reels in a display window. Therefore a total number of the symbol to be displayed is nine. Before starting the slot game, a number of the winning lines to be activated is determined corresponding to a number of inserted coins. Thereafter, when the symbol combination for winning is displayed on the activated winning line, a predetermined number of coins are discharged corresponding to a kind of the symbol combinations.
In the reel unit, there is a double-reel type including an inner reel and an outer reel. In the symbol display device of the double-reel type, the symbol on the inner reel and a hit symbol on the outer reel form a synthesized symbol. Accordingly, a number and kinds of the symbols and the number of the symbol combinations become larger without increasing a diameter of the inner and outer reels.
However, in the symbol display device of the double-reel type, as a diameter of the inner reel is a different from the outer reel, it is hard to adjust positions of stopping the inner and outer reels for forming the synthesized symbol. Further the synthesized symbol is formed when the symbol on the outer reel disposed on the hit symbol of the inner reel. However, when a losing symbol of the outer reel is disposed on the symbol of the inner reel, the synthesized symbol is not formed. In this case, the appearance of the symbol of the outer reel becomes worse because of the simple disposure of one of the two symbols on the another one.
Further, in a double-reel type of the symbol display device disclosed in Japanese patent Laid-Open Publication No. 6-218092, several kinds of symbols are arranged on a periphery of an inner reel, and an outer reel is made of a light shielding material and has plural display openings. When the display opening stops in a display window, the symbol of the inner reel is displayed through the display opening. Accordingly, the player has relatively larger interests for in what position the display opening will be stopped, and what symbol can be displayed between the cover portions. In the symbol display device of the above publication, as the outer reel makes the symbol of the inner reel selectively display, the kinds of the symbol combinations does not become larger. Accordingly, there is a limit for exciting the player so much in performing the slot game.
An object of the present invention is to provide a symbol display device in which a symbol of an outer reel hides a symbol of an inner reel when the symbol of the outer reel is disposed on the symbol of the inner reel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a symbol display device in which an appearance of the symbol of the outer reel does not becomes worse when the symbol of the outer reel is disposed over the symbol of the inner reel.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a symbol display device in which performance of a game is moreover varied in the priority of the outer reel to the inner reel while the outer reel stops after the inner reel.
In order to achieve the object and the other objects, a symbol display device of the present invention has an inner reel carrying plural inner symbols on a periphery thereof and an outer reel carrying plural but less outer symbols on a periphery thereof than the inner symbols. The inner reel is disposed inside of the outer reel to construct a reel pair. The outer reel has a larger size than the inner reel, and areas surrounding the outer symbols are transparent. When the outer symbol is disposed on the inner symbol, the outer symbol hides the inner symbol.
In a game machine, a plurality of the reel pairs is provided, and the outer symbol and the inner symbol are observable through a display window. After the inner reels each stop rotating, the outer reels each start and stop rotating. Based on the kind of a symbol combination complete on a winning line, the winning or the losing of the game is determined. The symbol combination is constructed of only plural inner symbols or at least one inner symbol and at least one outer symbol.